by Danielle Maguire, RDN, Nutrition Program Director

February is American Heart Month – a great time to raise awareness about heart health and take steps to improve our cardiovascular well-being! Along with getting regular exercise and managing stress, eating the right foods for your heart is critical for a healthy heart.

Certain foods can lower your risk of heart disease or help manage it, while other foods may increase your risk. Aim for a diet that includes a variety of fats, with emphasis on the healthy ones! Healthy fats that come from plant-based oils, nuts and seeds, and foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids like walnuts, fatty fish, and flaxseed are foods you should focus on. Limit your intake of saturated fat – this is present in animal products like meat, cheese, and also coconut oil. Your diet should also include good sources of dietary fiber throughout the day like beans, lentils, whole grains, and whole fruits and vegetables. A heart healthy diet includes reducing your salt intake – skip or go light on the salt shaker, and prepare homemade foods more often so that you can control the amount of salt in your meals.

The American Heart Association also has an easy tool that you can use at the grocery store to help choose heart-healthy options! Just look for the Heart-Check mark. When you see this logo, you know it has been through a robust certification process that considers fat, sodium, and nutritional qualities of the food item. The Heart-Check program has seven different categories of certification, and each category has a set of nutrition requirements. This tool can help you identify healthier foods including fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals, lean meats, deli meats, poultry, fish, and more.
American Heart Month is a perfect time to commit to making small changes for a healthier heart and longer life!

Sources: American Heart Association, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Mango Avocado Smoothie

Enjoy this heart-healthy smoothie any time of the day! Avocados contribute good fats to make this a creamy delight without the dairy.

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado (peeled, pitted, diced)
• 2 cups frozen mango chunks
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup water

  Directions:

1. In a blender, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Serve immediately. You can also easily substitute mango for berries of your choice! Enjoy!
   Nutrition Facts: Calories 160, Fat 8g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 0mg, Total Carbohydrate 22g, Dietary Fiber 5g, Sugars 17g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 2g.

Source: Avocados from Mexico – this recipe is an American Heart Association Heart-Check Certified recipe.